News

NDLEA Arrests 36-year-old Woman With 296,000 Tabs Of Illicit Drugs

Published

3 years ago

July 21, 2021

Editor

A 36-year-old lady, Chioma Afam, who uses multiple identities and wears hijab to evade security scrutiny has been arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA in Benue State.

She was arrested along with her partner, Peace Chidinma Caleb, 22, for trying to smuggle a total of 296,000 tablets of Diazepam and Exol-5 from Onitsha, Anambra state to Gombe state.

A statement signed Femi Babafemi
Director, Media & Advocacy
NDLEA Headquarters, Abuja on Wednesdays stated Chioma, who uses multiple names such as Amina, Uzoamaka and Ifunaya to cover her criminal activities was arrested on Saturday 17th July, 2021, along with the 22-year-old Peace Chidinma Caleb who also wears hijab as a cover for “her nefarious activities during routine checks and profiling of inward vehicles into Makurdi, the Benue state capital.

He added that their vehicle coming from Onitsha, Anambra State, was intercepted along Makurdi – Alliade road while heading to Gombe State via Makurdi.

According to Babafemi, a search of their vehicle led to the discovery of 43kilograms of Diazepam and 33kg of Exol-5, both weighing 76 kilograms with a total of Two Hundred and Ninety Six Thousand (296,000) tablets packed in four large Ghana-must-go bags.

He noted that the two interstate drug traffickers have rebuffed efforts to take pictures with the exhibits without wearing their hijab.

In a related tevelopment, the Ondo State command of the Agency on Sunday 18th July, 2021 intercepted one Olu Ameh, a commercial motorcycle rider with 465 kilograms of cannabis sativa along Ijagba-Ute road in Ose Local Government Area of the state.

The illicit substance was said to have been bought from one Joseph in Ago-Akure, Akure North LGA and being conveyed to buyer, a certain Egbonwon at Ijagba village in Ose LGA.

“Fot us in NDLEA, a kilogram of illicit drug seized by our gallant and courageous officers across the country is a kilogram less what is available on the streets and in our communities and that is why well continue to encourage all our officers and men to continue to give their best in our pursuit of the mandate President Muhammadu Buhari has given us, Gen. Marwa stated on Wednesday in Abuja,” he said.

News

JUST IN: Pius Olanrewaju Sworn In As 23rd CIBN President

Published

5 mins ago

May 17, 2024

Editor

Professor Pius Olanrewaju has been sworn in as the 23rd President/Chairman of the Council, Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria.

Olanrewaju was sworn in by Justice Owolabi Dabiri at an event held in Lagos on Friday which was chaired by Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Wole Olanipekun.

After the swearing-in, he was decorated with the insignia of office.

In his goodwill message, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, who was represented by the chairman, of the House Committee on Banking, Nwachukwu Eze, hailed the immediate past CIBN president, Ken Opara and called on the new leadership of the organisation to embrace technology to boost financial inclusion.

Abbas said, “Today, as you welcome the incoming President and new Chairman of the Council, we also reflect on the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. The banking sector is constantly evolving, driven by technological advancements, regulatory changes, and shifts in customer behaviour.

“In the face of these types of changes, the CIBN must remain steadfast in its commitment to excellence and innovation. The incoming leadership must embrace new ideas and emerging technologies and foster collaboration within the industry to navigate these challenges and seize the opportunities that lie ahead.

“As we look to the future, we must not lose sight of the importance of financial inclusion and sustainable development. Despite progress has been made in expanding access to financial services. Millions of Nigerians remain on the side or excluded from the formal banking sector. It is incumbent upon all stakeholders including the CIBN to redouble your efforts to promote financial literacy, expand access to finance, and foster inclusive growth, that leaves no one behind.”

Meanwhile, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation, Bello Hassan, called on banking sector players to pay attention to cybersecurity, saying, “In this regard, a deliberate and collaborative approach to cyber risk involving all stakeholders is essential to protect the resilience of the banking system.”

Other elected officeholders include First Vice President, Dele Alake, Second Vice President, Mojisola Bakare-Asieru, and National Treasurer, Peter Ashade.

Olanrewaju was elected on April 6, 2024.5

News

FULL LIST: NJC Recommends 86 Judicial Officers For Federal, State Courts

Published

22 mins ago

May 17, 2024

Editor

The National Judicial Council has recommended a total of 86 judicial officers for appointment into federal and state courts across the country.

The recommendations were made by the council’s Interview Committee on Appointment of Judicial Officers of all Superior Courts of Record in Nigeria, during the NJC’s 105th plenary meeting held between May 15 and 16, 2024.

This was revealed in a statement issued by the council’s Director of Information, Soji Oye, dated May 16, 2024, and sighted by PUNCH Online on Friday, May 17, 2024.

“Council at the Meeting also considered the recommendation of its Interview Committee on Appointment of Judicial Officers of all Superior Courts of Record in Nigeria and resolved to recommend the under-listed 86 Judicial Officers for appointment to the Court of Appeal, High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Sharia Courts of Appeal and Customary Courts of Appeal of States in Nigeria.

“All recommended candidates are expected to be sworn in after the approval of the NJC recommendations to the President and their respective State Governors,” the statement urged.

Below is the full list of the recommendations:

JUSTICES, COURT OF APPEAL – 22

1.Hon. Justice Kwahar Polycarp Terna

2.Hon. Justice Ruqayat Oremei Ayoola

3.Hon. Justice Eleojo Eneche

4.Hon. Justice Asma’u Akanbi-Yusuf

5.Hon. Justice Abdullahi Muhammad Liman

6.Hon. Justice Abdu Dogo

7.Hon. Justice Fadawu Umaru

8.Hon. Justice Ishaq Mohammed Sani

9.Hon. Justice Zainab Bage Abubakar

10.Hon. Justice Abdulazeez M. Anka

11.Hon. Justice Nnamdi Okwy Dimgba

12.Hon. Justice Nwoye Victoria Tochukwu

13.Hon. Justice Nwabunkeonye Onwosi

14.Hon. Justice Okorowo Donatus Uwaezuoke

15.Hon. Justice Ngozika Uwazurunonye Okaisabor

16.Hon. Justice Ntong Festus Ntong

17.Hon. Justice Nehizena Idemudia Afolabi

18.Hon. Justice Nyesom-Wike Eberechi Suzzette

19.Hon. Justice Lateef Babajide Lawal-Akapo

20.Hon. Justice Akinyemi Abiodun Azeem

21.Hon. Justice Oyewumi Oyejoju Oyebiola

22.Hon. Justice Olukayode Adegbola Adeniyi

JUDGES, HIGH COURT, FCT ABUJA – 12

1.Ademuyiwa Olakunle Oyeyipo

2.Bamodu Odunayo Olutomi

3.Anumaenwe Godwin Iheabunike

4.Odo Celestine Obinna

5.Hauwa Lawal Gummi

6.Abdurahman Usman

7.Buetnaan Mandy Bassi

8.Sarah Benjamin Inesu Avoh

9.Maryan Iye Yusuf

10.Ariwoola Oluwakemi Victoria

11.Lesley Nkesi Belema Wike

12.Munirat Ibrahim Tanko

JUDGES, IMO STATE HIGH COURT – 7
Akowundu Cletus Ndubuisi
Uchenna Mary Njoku
Chibuogwu Ojiugo Chukwumaeze
Ononogbo Chidi Linus
Adaego Peace Nosiri
Emeka Ozoma Orafu
Mathew Chinedu Ijezie

JUDGES, BAUCH STATE HIGH COURT – 6

1.Amin Umar Ilelah

2.Aliyu Bin Idris

3.Ahmed Shuaibu Ningi

4.Shafa’u Ladan Yusuf

5.Abdussalam Idris Waziri

6.Kawu A. Yerima

JUDGES, TARABA STATE HIGH COURT – 3

1.Hamidu Audu

2.Bibonga Jeniffer Nauma

3.Joel Daniel Ubandoma

JUDGES, LAGOS STATE HIGH COURT – 13

1.Sunmonu Tunde Bashiru

2.Azeez Fimisola Augusta

3.Alebiosu Olawale Lawal

4.Adewale Russel Musiliu

5.Popoola Oluwatosin Ajose

6.Anjorin-Ajose Tanimola Abdulwaheed

7.Muyideen Abdul-Raheem Tejumade

8.George Alfred Akingbola

9.Balogun Adegboyega Ganiu

10.Shonubi Adenike Kudirat

11.Badejo-Okusanya Yewande Jokotola

12.Layinka Oyeladun Amope

13.Ojuromi Nalirat Olayinka Oluwatosin

JUDGES, KOGI STATE HIGH COURT – 4

1.Ajesola Joseph Sunday

2.Ojoma Rachael Haruna

3.Kadiri Badama

4.Ezema Beatrice Ada

JUDGES, JIGAWA STATE HIGH COURT – 2

1.Mohammad El-Usman

2.Nilfa Abdullahi Gambo

KADIS, SHARIA COURT OF APPEAL, BAUCHI STATE – 5

1.Ishaku Magaji

2.Abdurrahman Hassan Sabo

3.Bello Mohammed Sambowal

4.Muhyiddeen Mohammed

5.Mahmoud Idris Shehu Tiyin

KADIS, SHARIA COURT OF APPEAL, KOGI STATE – 5

1.Muhammad Muhammad Bello

2.Okino Isah Saidu

3.Yakubu Adavenge Abbas

4.Shaibu Ridwan Aliyu

5.Idris Alhaji Abdullahi

KADI, SHARIA COURT OF APPEAL, JIGAWA STATE – 1

1.Mukhtar Shuaibu Adam

JUDGES, IMO STATE CUSTOMARY COURT OF APPEAL – 3

1.Everyman Ezenna Eleanya

2.Ofoha Sylvesta Uchenna

3.Ibeh Rosemond Oluchi

JUDGES, CUSTOMARY COURT OF APPEAL, TARABA STATE – 2

1.Esther Tata

2.Benjamin Samuila Bawage

JUDGE, CUSTOMARY COURT OF APPEAL, KOGI STATE – 1

1.Maryann Oziohu Otaru.b

News

NJC Issues Three Judges Warning Letters, Halts Two Others’ Promotion

Published

39 mins ago

May 17, 2024

Editor

The National Judicial Council has resolved to issue warning letters to Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court; Justice G. B. Brikins-Okolosi of the Delta State High Court and Justice Amina Shehu of the Yobe State High Court

The trio were found guilty of different degrees of misconduct, during the 105th plenary meeting of the council, held between May 15 and 16, 2024; under the Chairmanship of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola.

This was disclosed in a statement issued by the council’s Director of Information, Soji Oye, dated May 16, 2024, and sighted by PUNCH Online on Friday, May 17, 2024.

Ekwo and Brikins-Okolosi were barred from elevation to a higher Bench for two years and three years, respectively.

The statement noted that Ekwo is “warned for abuse of discretionary power of a judge by wrongly granting an ex parte order in suit no. FHC/ABJ/C/626/2023 Juliet Ebere Nwadi Gbaka & 2 Ors V Seplat Energy Plc & 12 Ors,

“The Hon. Judge is also barred from being elevated to a higher Bench for two years.

“Hon. Justice G. B. Brikins-Okolosi of Delta State High Court is also issued a warning for failure to deliver judgment within the stipulated period in Joseph Anene Okafor Vs Skye Bank, suit no. A/94/2010 after parties had filed and adopted their final Written Addresses.”

Brikins-Okolosi “will also not be elevated to a higher Bench for a period of three years,” the statement noted.

For Shehu, the council cautioned him “for issuing Writ of Possession Conferring Title on the Defendant in suit no. YBS/HC/NNR/1cv/2020 when there was no subsisting judgment of any court to enable His Lordship issue the Writ.”

The NJC also recommended two reports written against judges of the Federal and State High Courts for further investigation.

“Council at the meeting considered two Reports of its two Preliminary Complaints Assessment Committees that filtered 35 petitions written against Judges of the Federal and State High Courts and decided to empanel eight Committees to further investigate the petitions that were found meritorious by the Committees,” the statement added.

Furthermore, the council dismissed petitions against several judges “for lack of merit, evidence of misconduct, subjudice or that they were matters that could be appealed.”

The dismissed petitions were against Justices A. M. Liman, A. A. Okeke, D. E. Osiagor (Federal High Court); Justices S. B. Belgore, and Bello Kawu (High Court of the Federal Capital Territory), among others.

“The Council deliberated on the notification of retirements of three Judicial Officers including that of the Chief Justice of Nigeria Hon Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, GCON and notification of death of three Judges of the Federal and State Courts,” the statement concluded.